Bob is a longtime member of the Florida sports media, having served as a reporter and copy editor for more than 30 years. His true sports passion, however, is the history of the various games, exhibited by his in-depth book reviews and hobby of collecting cards and other sports memorabilia.

Panini previews Elite football

BY BOB D’ANGELOTribune staff

Published: June 28, 2014

Panini America released information and images about its Elite football product earlier this week. Not surprisingly, Johnny Manziel graces the box top of the upcoming set, which hits the shelves on July 23.

Panini is promising four autograph of memorabilia cards per hobby box, with at least two rookies guaranteed. One of those autographs will be a rookie card. Panini is also putting acetate autographs in several forms, including in the Inscriptions subset.

At least three rookies numbered to 999 or less will be in each hobby box, along with Turn of the Century and Passing the Torch silver inserts. Other inserts include Aspirations, Status, Passing the Torch, Legends of the Fall and Face 2 Face.

Each hobby box, on average, will come with a Clarity insert card. This is a Plexiglas card.

In the 100-card base set, Bucs fans will only find three players to collect — quarterback Josh McCown, wide receiver Vincent Jackson and running back Doug Martin. Base cards also will have silver, gold, red and black parallels to chase.

But there will be plenty of rookies to find in the set, like Manziel, former Central Florida star Blake Bortles, former Plant High (and Georgia) star Aaron Murray, No. 1 draft pick Jadevon Clowney and ex-Louisville standout Teddy Bridgewater. These players won’t be featured on base cards, but will be in the die-cut, insert, autograph or relic cards that will be sprinkled throughout the set. Bucs rookie wide receiver Mike Evans also will have a signature card in the set, beginning with the Elite Rookie Premiere Signatures cards.

Look for another Plant alumnus, James Wilder Jr., to make an appearance in the set.